The 275-acre Baton Rouges Lakes system is a series of six lakes in central Baton Rouge adjacent to Louisiana State University, three major parks, and a diverse mix of neighborhoods. Recognizing opportunity in crisis, a newly funded master plan provides sound ecological restoration methods that will heal a dying lake system while reconnecting the region to its ecological and cultural heritage. No longer the epicenter of “cancer alley,” the Baton Rouge Lakes, as the centerpiece of Louisiana’s capital, have the potential to elevate the city’s identity to one based on best management practices, positioning man and water in equilibrium. Using nature as a catalyst for healthy lifestyles while providing habitat infrastructure for migratory birds and aquatic wildlife, the project will serve as a touchpoint for visitors from across the Parish and throughout the country to experience Louisiana in a new way. The first phase of work identified corrects water quality issues; phase two provides safe pedestrian, bike, and vehicular connectivity; phase three includes ten projects that produce recreational opportunities for a broad cross section of users. To guide the project toward implementation, a nonprofit Lakes Conservancy has been created.
To learn more about the effort from SWA Principal Kinder Baumgardner, please see his interview with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.
Golden Shoal Riverfront Park
Located along Chongqing’s Jialing River, this new linear public park offered unique challenges: a 30-meter annual river fluctuation, steep topography, and low-impact maintenance of a continuous riparian corridor. Adjacent new urban development, with attendant needs for green space, called for a flexible and resilient approach to the park’s landscape and infras...
Litou Mountain Park
Within Guanlan Forest, an ecological heart of Shenzhen, Litou Mountain Park takes inspiration from the clothing design and production processes of Dalang Fashion Town. The town is a future gathering destination for fashion’s rising talents and a center for art. Blending nature and textiles, the project situates the park at the front of the fashion fronti...
Guiyang Hot Springs
Guiyang Hot Springs, located in Guiyang City, China, brings together the rhythm of the Nanming River, and surrounding trails and trees to create a new urban ‘living room’ in the interstitial space created by new development and roadway infrastructure. Nestled into a mountainous site, the master planning addressed elevation changes of up to 100 meters and the e...
Moji Mountain Park Master Plan
Moji Mountain, one of the most distinctive symbols of Yichang, now boasts the city’s largest public open space. The 120-hectare park is located along the banks of the Yangtze River, and has a rich historical connection to both the river and the city. De-forested in the past for agricultural uses, the mountain’s slopes have been replanted and now support a new ...